Making Good Presentations Uday Khedker (
[email protected])
[email protected]
Department of Computer Science & Engineering IIT Bombay Dec 2005
CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Outline and Scope
• Many kinds of Presentations : Sales, Motivational, Technical
• Many forms of presentations : Narratives, Descriptive, Analytical, Persuasive
• Elements of Good Presentations – Form – Content – Delivery
Making Good Presentations : Uday Khedker
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Constituents of a Good Presentation
Syntax
Execution
Form Delivery
C
on
te
nt
s
Semantics
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Form = Structure = Syntax = Organisation
• Tell them what you are going to tell them • Tell them • Tell them what you told them
Making Good Presentations : Uday Khedker
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Form = Structure = Syntax = Organisation
• Tell them what you are going to tell them : Opening (15% to 20% Max)
• Tell them : Middle (65% to 75%)
• Tell them what you told them : Ending (10% to 15%)
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Opening (15% to 20%)
Set the expectations right
• Topic : Theme of the talk • Outline : Plan of the talk • Introduction : Motivation, Perspective, Scope, and Focus
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Introduction (Around 15%)
• Motivation : Why is the talk important/relevant? Why is the talk of interest to you? To the audience?
• Perspective : How does it fit in the larger scheme of things? • Scope : What are the things you restrict yourself to? • Focus : What is the key idea?
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
How About This Introduction?
“We worked in Computer Science. We proved some theorems. Some were big, some were small. Big theorems had big proof, small theorems had small proofs. We tried to connect the proofs to the theorems. Sometimes we succeeded, sometimes we didn’t. By then, the time for this talk had arrived, so here I am . . . ” Based on “How to Have Your Abstract Rejected” by M. Leunen and R. Lipton http://www.acm.org/sigplan/conferences/author-info/vanLeunenLipton.html
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Middle (65% to 75%)
Development of the key idea(s)
• Origin of the idea : Observations/experiments/puzzles/mysteries • Evolution of the idea : Gradual movement across levels of abstractions – False starts, interesting dead ends, – Difficulties encounterd/overcome/succumbed to, – Rays of hope/light at the end of the tunnel Keep relating to the key idea(s).
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Ending (10% to 15%)
Conclusions
• Important observations • Lessons learnt : Your opinions on the matter • Unanswered questions, open issues • Future direction of work
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Planning Your Contents
• Know your subject well. • Know you audience well. • Know the expectations of the audience well. • Anticipate questions.
Making Good Presentations : Uday Khedker
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Planning Your Contents
• Good contents have the following characteristics – Relevance – Precision – Clarity – Coherence – Simplicity – Accessibility.
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Anticipating Questions
• Recall the difficulties which you faced in understanding • Extend the core ideas in all possible directions. Most of these extensions are obvious. Eg. “These conditions are necessary for . . . ” Are they also sufficient?
Making Good Presentations : Uday Khedker
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Anticipating Questions Useful Tips:
• Explore symmetry : Eg. Forward/Backward, True/False, Necessary/Sufficient, Some/All, Push/Pull, Static/Dynamic, etc.
• Explore Generality : Which specific details can be omitted? Eg. Generalized theory of data flow analysis?
• Compare and Contrast : Identify relevant parameters of comparison Eg. Efficiency/Complexity, Simplicity, Verifiability, Goodness of Solution, Applicability.
• Categorise. Making Good Presentations : Uday Khedker
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Contents : DOs and DON’Ts
• Don’t hide behind the symbols/formulae/definitions. Bring out the intuition/meaning clearly. No place for symbols/formulae/definitions in the introduction Unless they are standard conventions . . .
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Contents : DOs and DON’Ts
• Don’t throw a lot of information. Present knowledge Information : Collection of Facts Knowledge : Co-relation between Facts
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Contents : DOs and DON’Ts
• Don’t merely present the knowledge contained in your references/sources. Present your understanding of what the references/sources have to say . . . and a justification why it is relevant/meaningful.
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Contents : DOs and DON’Ts
• Use abstractions/analogies skillfully Don’t give too many details.
• Use examples liberally • Use pictures
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Contents : DOs and DON’Ts
• Distinguish between opinions and facts In a technical talk, the only place for opinions, most often, is in conclusions.
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Contents : DOs and DON’Ts
• No sales talk : Limitations, Unknowns, Uncertainties are important and must be stated clearly and precisely.
• Bring out relevance/importance realistically. – Practical application – Theoretical significance – Aesthetics/beauty/simplicity
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Delivery
Objectives : Engage the audience
• Presentation aids • Voice Modulation • Movement • General Interaction Practice is the key to good delivery
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Presentation Aids
• White/Chalk Boards • OHP, Transperancies Handwritten/Printed? Covering/Overlays? Placement Marking? Details?
• Data Projector - Animations? Details? • Slide Projector • Handouts • Pointer • Microphone(s)
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Completeness of Preparation
• Have examples/derivations etc. ready. Show them step by step to the extent possible. Common mistake : Working out examples on board. Do so only for the issues raised by the audience.
• Readiness has two advantages: – Saves times – Makes a big impression “Having Thought” is certainly better than “Thinking Online”
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Voice Modulation
• Emphasis, Pauses, Suspense
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Movement
• Beginning of an important point : Go close to the board • End of an important point : Go close to the audience • Any interaction with the audience : Go close
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
General Interaction
Should be Open, Warm, and Positive.
• Eye Contact • Handling Questions
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Practice
Take the help of a friend to
• Note the time required for each slide • Identify repetitious, awkward pharases
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
How to Achieve Confidence?
• Prepare well and then fake confidence, if necessary
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CSE, IITB
Dec 2005
Conclusions
Making good presentations is easy. You need to have
• Confidence • Knowledge of what you know and what you don’t • Awareness of the elements of good presentations – Form – Contents – Delivery Just Plan and Practice!
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Dec 2005
Thank You
Useful URL http://www.support4learning.org.uk/jobsearch/interviews.htm#Presentations
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